Achimenes plant named Pink Rose

ABSTRACT

An Achimenes plant named Pink Rose.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Achimenesplant, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Pink Rose.

Pink Rose is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new Achimenes cultivars having superior vigor,good branching habits, suitability for pot plants or hanging baskets,double flowers 2" or more in diameter and of various colors,early-flowering, floriferousness, and a long flowering season. Suchtraits in combination were not present or needed improvement inpreviously available commercial cultivars of this type.

Pink Rose was originated from a hybridization made in a controlledbreeding program in Greenwood, S.C. in 1984. Both the male and femaleparent were identified by the breeding number 840942-1, with the femaleparent being selfed from the male parent.

Pink Rose was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated percentage by Linda Saussy Wiles on Aug. 21, 1985,in a controlled greenhouse environment in Greenwood, S.C.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by rhizomes, as performedinitially by Linda Saussy Wiles at Greenwood, S.C. has demonstrated thatthe combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Pink Rose arefirmly fixed through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Pink Rose has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length. Thefollowing observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Greenwood, S.C. under greenhouse conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Pink Rose, which in combination distinguishthis Achimenes as a new and distinct cultivar:

(1) The flowers are double in form and 1.7" to 2.0" in diameter. Thereare five (5) full size petals and 5 to 9 or more smaller petalsmeasuring 0.7"×0.7" or more when fully expanded.

(2) The upper surface flower color of the outer petals is an attractiveLight Pink with the petals showing Silver White on the reverse orunderside. Under stress conditions, double petals may retract somewhatinto the throat showing very small area of HCC 601-3 Primrose Yellow,with 5 lines and (not too many) dots of HCC 27 Magenta also beingapparent.

(3) Generally, two to three flowers appear at each node. Plants areerect when young, and semi-trailing towards end of growing season.

(4) Rhizomes start growing early, producing plants rapidly. Fromrhizomes planted in early April, flowering plants were available bymid-June.

(5) Plants continue to flower well into late November.

(6) Highly floriferous flowering habit.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the mostsimilar in comparison to Pink Rose is Blue Rose, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 5,919. Reference is made to attached Chart A which comparescertain characteristics of Pink Rose to those same characteristics ofBlue Rose.

The accompanying color photographic drawings show typical inflorescenceand foliage characteristics of Pink Rose, with the colors being asnearly true as possible with illustrations of this type. Sheet 1 is aperspective view of the plant, and sheet 2 comprises a greatly enlargedphoto of a single flower and surrounding foliage.

In the following description, color references are made to theHorticultural Colour Chart (HCC), or to The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart (RHS) where indicated. The color values were determinedbetween 2:00 pm. and 3:00 pm. on Sept. 23, 1986 under 2200 foot candlesof light intensity at Greenwood, S.C.

Classification:

A. Botanical.--Achimenes hybrid., cv. Pink Rose.

B. Commercial.--Achimenes.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--Erect when young; semi-trailing later.

Growth.--Bushy.

Internode.--Distance 3/4"-1" (1.9 cm to 7.5 cm).

B. Foliage:

Leaves.--Numerous.

Shape.--3/4"×13/4" to 1"×21/4" (1.9 cm by 4.4 cm to 2.5 cm by 5.7 cm.

Appearance.--Serrated.

Color.--Top side Parsley Green HCC 0962. Bottom side Pod Green-ParsleyGreen HCC 063/4×0962/3.

Texture.--Pubescent on both upper and lower surfaces, though muchreduced on lower surface.

C. Flowers:

Borne.--2-3 flowers per node at most nodes, usually 3.

Type of stems.--Short.

Number of flowers per stem.--One.

Quantity of blooms.--Abundant.

D. Blooms:

Size.--1.7" to 2.0" (4.3 cm to 5.1 cm).

Petalage.--Double, five (5) full size outer petals and 5-9 or moresmaller inner petals.

Shape.--Approximately round.

Color.--Outside petals, upper surface Fuchsine Pink HCC 627/3 with 627/1mid-veins and few or no other veins, under surface Silver White. Innerpetals, upper surface Fushsine Pink HCC 627/3. If inner petals retractthen slight White Yellow cast at very center is partially visible withHCC 601-3 Primrose Yellow, with lines and/or dots of HCC 27 Magenta.

E. Reproductive organs:

Stamens.--0-5, usually staminode.

Filaments.--4-5, sometimes attached to petals.

Anthers.--Rare, 0-4.

Pollen.--Very rare.

Pistils.--1, Deformed.

Styles.--Very short, deformed.

Seed.--Will not normally produce seed.

Disease resistance: No known disease problems on plants.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                        CHARACTER-                                                                    ISTIC      BLUE ROSE      PINK ROSE                                           ______________________________________                                        Smaller petals                                                                           4-6, 0.6" × 0.6"                                                                       5-9, 0.7" × 0.7"                              Leaf size  1.0" × 1.7"-2.5"                                                                       0.8" × 1.8" to                                                          1.0" × 2.3"                                   Leaf color NCC 0962 Parsley                                                                             HCC 0962 Parsley                                               Green with HCC Green with                                                     061/3 Pod Green                                                                              061/3 × 0962/3                                           reverse        Pod Green-                                                                    Parsley Green                                                                 reverse                                             Internode spacing                                                                        0.7"-1.2"      0.8"-1.0"                                           Flowers per node                                                                         2-3            usually 3,                                                                    sometimes 2                                         Stamens    0-4            0-5, usually                                                                  staminode                                           Filaments  4, sometimes   4-5, sometimes                                                 attached to    attached to                                                    petals         petals                                              Anthers    variable, 0-4  rare, 0-4                                           Pollen     some on occasion                                                                             some on occasion                                    Pistils    1              1, deformed                                         Styles     1, normal      1, very short,                                                                deformed                                            Flower color                                                                             HCC 40/2 Hyacinth                                                                            HCC 627/3 Fushsine                                             Blue with Silver                                                                             Pink with HCC                                                  White reverse; 627/1 mid-veins                                                if petals retract,                                                                           and few or no                                                  HCC 601/3 Primrose                                                                           other veins with                                               Yellow and HCC 28                                                                            Silver White                                                   Fuschia Purple reverse; if petals                                             lines and dots retract, slight                                                are visible in White-Yellow cast                                              throat         at center (HCC                                                                601/3 Primrose                                                                Yellow) and HCC                                                               27 Magenta lines                                                              and dots are                                                                  visible in throat                                   ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Achimenes plant named PinkRose, as illustrated and described.